Getting started
How to become a barber in Australia
Most barbers get here one of two ways: an apprenticeship, where a shop employs you while you study the Certificate III in Barbering, or the course first and a chair after. Here is how each route works, what shops look for in a new barber, what the first years pay, and the roles taking on new barbers right now.
The qualification: Certificate III in Barbering
The national barbering qualification is the Certificate III in Barbering (SHB30516), taught by TAFEs and private barber colleges around the country. It covers cutting and fading, razor work and shaving, beard design, client consultation and the day-to-day work of a busy floor. Hairdressers do a different one, the Certificate III in Hairdressing (SHB30416). Not every shop insists on the paper and plenty hire after a trial cut, but it is what most job ads ask for and what an apprenticeship leads to.
Route one: an apprenticeship
You earn while you learn. The shop pays you from day one, you train on real clients, and you finish with the qualification and a book of regulars.
- 1
Find a shop that will take you on
Walk in with a few cuts you're proud of, ask who trains juniors, and be ready for a trial shift. Plenty of shops would rather shape a keen junior their way than hire someone with habits to unlearn.
- 2
Sign a training contract
The shop employs you and you both sign an apprenticeship training contract. A free Apprentice Connect Australia Provider sets it up and lodges it with your state or territory training authority.
- 3
Study the Certificate III alongside the work
You complete the Certificate III in Barbering (SHB30516) with a registered training organisation, usually a TAFE or a private barber college, while you cut on the floor.
- 4
Get signed off and build your book
In NSW, for example, a full-time barbering apprenticeship runs 36 months or until you're assessed as competent, with a three-month probation at the start. Other states set their own terms, so check with your state training authority.
Route two: the course first
Enrol in the Certificate III in Barbering with a TAFE or private college, study full or part time, then go looking for a junior chair. Some states have offered Fee-Free TAFE places for it, so check before you pay. A weekend or online barbering course can teach you the fundamentals, but it isn't the Certificate III, and whichever path you take, shops will judge you on a trial cut.
Trained overseas?
Shops here weigh your portfolio and a trial cut far more than where you trained. If you are moving on a skilled visa, the skills assessment and visa rules sit with the government, so talk to a registered migration agent about your situation. Australia Ready lines up the job side before you fly →
What shops look for in a new barber
Clean, consistent fades. A consultation that gets the client what they actually asked for. A portfolio, usually on Instagram, that shows your range. Turning up on time, every time. And a trial shift where you hold your own on whatever walks in.
Across the 97 open barber roles on the board today, 67 ask for under two years of experience. The skills they ask for most:
- Fades (skin, low, mid, high) (78)
- Beard design & sculpting (72)
- Clipper work (all guards) (62)
- Scissor cutting (58)
- Blow-dry & styling (33)
What the first years pay
Apprentices have their own minimum rates under the Hair and Beauty Industry Award, set by stage of the apprenticeship and updated every July. Fair Work's pay guide for the award has the current figures. Once you're qualified, the floor for a full-time adult barber in 2026-27 is $28.87 an hour, and shops pay hourly, base plus commission, commission with a guaranteed minimum, or rent you a chair.
Roles taking on new barbers
All barber jobs in Australia →Barber, 2nd to 3rd year apprentice
The Mens Lounge · Brisbane, QLD
Posted 6 days ago
Barbering apprentice
Kings Domain Barber Shop - KINGS DOMAIN EMPLOYMENT PTY LTD · Melbourne, VIC
Posted 11 days ago
Barber apprentice
Barbershop Express · Perth, WA
Posted 12 days ago
Qualified barbers and apprentices wanted
Razors Edge mens cuts · Mackay, QLD
Posted 21 days ago
Barber or hairdresser, casual
Stu's Styles for Men · Gladstone, QLD
Posted today
Barber
Urban Stylz · Gold Coast, QLD
Posted today
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Frequently asked questions
- How long does it take to become a barber in Australia?
- Through an apprenticeship, around three years full time: in NSW the nominal term is 36 months, or until you're assessed as competent. Studying the Certificate III in Barbering first can be quicker, depending on the provider and how many hours you study, but you'll still need floor time before most shops trust you with a full book.
- Do you need a qualification to be a barber in Australia?
- Most job ads ask for the Certificate III in Barbering (SHB30516), and it's what an apprenticeship leads to. Some shops hire on skill alone after a trial shift, so a strong portfolio matters either way.
- Can I become a barber without an apprenticeship?
- Yes. You can enrol in the Certificate III in Barbering with a TAFE or private college, study first, then apply for junior roles with your portfolio. A short weekend or online course can teach fundamentals, but it isn't the Certificate III.
- What do apprentice barbers get paid?
- Apprentices have their own minimum rates under the Hair and Beauty Industry Award, set by stage of the apprenticeship and updated every July, so check Fair Work's current pay guide. Once qualified, the full-time adult floor in 2026-27 is $28.87 an hour.
- Is a barbering qualification different from hairdressing?
- Yes. Barbers study the Certificate III in Barbering (SHB30516), built around men's cutting, fades, shaves and beard work. Hairdressers study the Certificate III in Hairdressing (SHB30416), which covers colour, chemical services and styling in more depth.
Ready for your first chair?
Build a free profile with your cuts and let shops that train new barbers find you.